Learning Objectives: Identify key philosophical roots of U.S. governance. Understand the evolution from monarchy to constitutional republic. Explore early American political ideology and its influence on the Constitution. Introduction: Why Foundations Matter If you want to understand how something works, you need to understand how it was built. This is especially true of government. The U.S. system of government didn’t just appear. It was constructed—thoughtfully, purposefully, and often contentiously—by people who were deeply influenced by the philosophies, struggles, and experiences of their time. The roots of American government reach back to ancient civilizations, Enlightenment thinkers, and the hard lessons learned under tyranny. In this lecture, we’ll explore those roots to understand what influenced the Founding Fathers, what shaped the Constitution, and why the structure they created continues to matter today. Section 1: The Classical Roots—Greece and Rome The earliest fo...